Magma Arizona Railroad
The Narrow Gauge Route
This next segment will be backwards compared to everything up to this point
since the lighting was more favorable for an East to West hike and it was
easier to find the eastern end of this segment of the grade. I will be skipping
the segment from about MP 21.2 to MP 23.3 since there is a lot of private
land with houses along the segment and the NG pretty much follows the road.
About MP 23.3 the NG grade crossed over the present SG grade and headed Northeast
while the SG heads to the Southeast. To start this segment I drove highway
60 out to the east end of Hewitt Station Road which is approximately 3 miles
west of Superior (across from Picketpost Mountain). Just after turning on
to Hewitt Station Road, NF-8 turns off to the right just after the ATV parking
area. I drove NF-8 until crossing over the SG line (watch for HiRail traffic,
I saw one out on the line). Once over the SG line I veered off to the left
on a small side road that continued up the hill. After a short distance this
road hits a tee which is the NG grade. The grade can't be driven too far
to the right but can be driven just over a half a mile to the left. I drove
to the left until I came to a point where the road dropped down and it was
obvious that the grade veered off the road to the left.
This first photo was taken from the road and is the point at which the grade
leaves the road and follows the side of the hill. The start point is about
MP 24.1.
A short distance in and a small washout is found just beyond the tree in
the center of the shot.
I have found that the ballast along the line seemed to have a high concentration
of gray colored rock. When in doubt about where the grade is try to look
for gray rocks.
This segment is pretty much a straight shot until we get back down to the
SG line at MP 23.3. Another washout can be seen just ahead.
The grade heads into a bit of a trough as it heads past a saguaro that has
long outlived the RR.
This section sure doesn't look like much fun.
More meandering through the Pickly Pear and Palo Verde trees.
A small opening before heading back into the brush.
A trio of the small spikes used on the light 30 lb rail.
The grade will pass under the hi-voltage and then start curving to the right
as we approach the SG line. Note the one red piece of fruit on the Prickly
Pear.
Just beyond the power lines a nicely formed mound rises up with another washout.
We are getting very close to the SG now as the NG makes a sweeping curve
to the right.
The SG line with pipes on either side of it can now be seen to the left as
the NG route starts to merge.
This is about where the NG grade would cross over the SG grade and generally
follow the path of the present day road. That is all for this segment. The
next segment will cover the section of grade on the road east of MP 24.1.
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